A good speech by Bush
 

He takes on the people who are reinventing the history of how the Iraq war started. A speech that feels like a campaign speech.

When you don't fight back against misinformation, people start to believe the lies the media spreads. This may be the openning salvo of recapturing the public debate about the reality of the war on terrorism.

Things are looking up for those who care about defeating terrorism for real.

Re: A good speech by Bush
 

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Things are looking up for those who care about defeating terrorism for real.

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That excludes me, I only care about defeating terrorism for pretend.

Re: A good speech by Bush
 

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Things are looking up for those who care about defeating terrorism for real.

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That excludes me, I only care about defeating terrorism for pretend.

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Most anti-war types don't care about defeating terrorism for real or pretend. Using the issue of the war for political advantage is their purpose and goal.

Re: A good speech by Bush
 

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Most anti-war types don't care about defeating terrorism for real or pretend

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Uh huh. Maybe, just maybe, the "anti-war types" don't think Iraq had anything to do with terrorism. Maybe they think the last sentence of your post ("Using the issue of the war for political advantage is their purpose and goal") applies more to the politician whose speech you praise.

Re: A good speech by Bush
 

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When you don't fight back against misinformation, people start to believe the lies the media spreads

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You mean like all that "Swift Boat Veterans for Truth/[censored]"

You don't like candidates using the GWOT for political purposes?? You must have HATED the Bush/Cheney 2004 campaign then, since that was just about all they did.....

Re: A good speech by Bush
 

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Most anti-war types don't care about defeating terrorism for real or pretend.

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And this is where most sane people stop taking you seriously. Everyone is concerned about defeating terrorism, however more and more people are realising that pre war Iraq had nothing to do with terrorists whatsoever. Even worse, post war Iraq is now a rallying point for them.

Re: A good speech by Bush
 

Here is the key passage of the speech:
A Link to transcript of entire speech.


This progress is not easy, but it is steady. And no fair-minded person should ignore, deny or dismiss the achievements of the Iraqi people.

(APPLAUSE)

And our debate at home must also be fair-minded. One of the hallmarks of a free society and what makes our country strong is that our political leaders can discuss their differences openly even in times of war.

When I made the decision to remove Saddam Hussein from power, Congress approved it with strong bipartisan support.

I also recognize that some of our fellow citizens and elected officials didn't support the liberation of Iraq. And that is their right, and I respect it.

As president and commander in chief, I accept the responsibilities and the criticisms and the consequences that come with such a solemn decision.

While it's perfectly legitimate to criticize my decision or the conduct of the war, it is deeply irresponsible to rewrite the history of how that war began.

(APPLAUSE)

BUSH: Some Democrats and anti-war critics are now claiming we manipulated the intelligence and misled the American people about why we went to war.

These critics are fully aware that a bipartisan Senate investigation found no evidence of political pressure to change the intelligence community's judgments related to Iraq's weapons programs.

They also know that intelligence agencies from around the world agreed with our assessment of Saddam Hussein.

They know the United Nations passed more than a dozen resolutions, citing his development and possession of weapons of mass destruction.

Many of these critics supported my opponent during the last election, who explained his position to support the resolution in the Congress this way: "When I vote to give the president of the United States the authority to use force, if necessary, to disarm Saddam Hussein, it is because I believe that a deadly arsenal of weapons of mass destruction in his hands is a threat and a grave threat to our security."

That's why more than 100 Democrats in the House and the Senate, who had access to the same intelligence, voted to support removing Saddam Hussein from power.

(APPLAUSE)

The stakes in the global war on terror are too high and the national interest is too important for politicians to throw out false charges.

(APPLAUSE)

These baseless attacks send the wrong signal to our troops and to an enemy that is questioning America's will.

As our troops fight a ruthless enemy determined to destroy our way of life, they deserve to know that their elected leaders who voted to send them to war continue to stand behind them.

(APPLAUSE)

Our troops deserve to know that this support will remain firm when the going gets tough.

(APPLAUSE)

BUSH: And our troops deserve to know that, whatever our differences in Washington, our will is strong, our nation is united and we will settle for nothing less than victory.

(APPLAUSE)

Re: A good speech by Bush
 

"Most anti-war types don't care about defeating terrorism for real or pretend. Using the issue of the war for political advantage is their purpose and goal."

And the evidence for this would be what? The success the Dems had in the last election? There is much more evidence to support the case that the administration doesn't care about defeating terrorism because, within a couple of days after the attack on America on 9/11, it was deciding to invade Iraq, irrespective of where the attack came from and whether or not Iraq was involved.

Re: A good speech by Bush
 

Meanwhile a new poll says 6 out of 10 Americans think Bush is not honest and his administration does not have high ethical standards.

That is a great speach if you like Bush, otherwise his arguments fall flat.

As far as your comment that anti-Iraq war people don't want to defeat terrorism that is not true. I was very much in favor of the invasion of Afghanistan. I hate to make my argument personal but I live in NYC and most people I know opposed the Iraq-war ware precisely because we want to defeat terrorism. We take terrorism very seriously for obvious reasons.

Re: A good speech by Bush
 

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As far as your comment that anti-Iraq war people don't want to defeat terrorism that is not true. I was very much in favor of the invasion of Afghanistan. I hate to make my argument personal but I live in NYC and most people I know opposed the Iraq-war ware precisely because we want to defeat terrorism. We take terrorism very seriously for obvious reasons.

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Well said.

Re: A good speech by Bush
 

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He takes on the people who are reinventing the history of how the Iraq war started. A speech that feels like a campaign speech.

When you don't fight back against misinformation, people start to believe the lies the media spreads. This may be the openning salvo of recapturing the public debate about the reality of the war on terrorism.

Things are looking up for those who care about defeating terrorism for real.

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This is hilarious considering Bush himself has reinvented the history of how the war started several times. (9/11 connection, Al-Queda connection, WMDs, Saddam is a bad guy,etc.)

Re: A good speech by Bush
 

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This is hilarious considering Bush himself has reinvented the history of how the war started several times. (9/11 connection, Al-Queda connection, WMDs, Saddam is a bad guy,etc.)

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9/11 connection - ok you win.

Al-Queda connection- check the week's news for bombing in Jordan by Iraqi Al-Queda operatives.

WMDs- ok we didn't find them. But even a marginal likelihood that Iraq did have them coupled with a demonstrated willingness in the past to use them on their own people made it necessary to eliminate any such possibility.

Saddam is(n't) a bad guy - get a grip.

Re: A good speech by Bush
 

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This is hilarious considering Bush himself has reinvented the history of how the war started several times. (9/11 connection, Al-Queda connection, WMDs, Saddam is a bad guy,etc.)

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9/11 connection - ok you win.

Al-Queda connection- check the week's news for bombing in Jordan by Iraqi Al-Queda operatives.

WMDs- ok we didn't find them. But even a marginal likelihood that Iraq did have them coupled with a demonstrated willingness in the past to use them on their own people made it necessary to eliminate any such possibility.

Saddam is(n't) a bad guy - get a grip.

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Al-Queda is operating in Iraq now. Al-Queda was NOT operating in Iraq before we invaded. (Also, I know Saddam is a bad guy. I was just pointing out the ever-changing rationale Bush used to invade.)

Re: A good speech by Bush
 

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Al-Queda is operating in Iraq now. Al-Queda was NOT operating in Iraq before we invaded.

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Even though they didn't operate there in action during Saddam's tenure doesn't mean they didn't receive any aid and comfort since they were both enemies of the US even though Saddam was not a religious radical. And since they are there now we clearly need to stay long enough to defeat them since they are the enemy and we have to take the battle to them wherever they exist rather than allowing them to have any safe havens.

Re: A good speech by Bush
 

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Al-Queda is operating in Iraq now. Al-Queda was NOT operating in Iraq before we invaded.

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Even though they didn't operate there in action during Saddam's tenure doesn't mean they didn't receive any aid and comfort since they were both enemies of the US even though Saddam was not a religious radical. And since they are there now we clearly need to stay long enough to defeat them since they are the enemy and we have to take the battle to them wherever they exist rather than allowing them to have any safe havens.

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I agree. I was totally against the war, but now that we are there we can't just leave. It is one of the few areas where I agree with Bush.

Re: A good speech by Bush
 

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WMDs- ok we didn't find them. But even a marginal likelihood that Iraq did have them coupled with a demonstrated willingness in the past to use them on their own people made it necessary to eliminate any such possibility.

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That doesn't seem to count for anything. If we'd not gone into Iraq and WMD's, proven to have come from Iraq, were later used, all we'd be hearing now is, "Why didn't we do something before 10,000 innocents were killed!" Impeach Bush right now!

Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

Re: A good speech by Bush
 

What, exactly, constitutes receiving "aid and comfort"?

Re: A good speech by Bush
 

Sharing mutual intelligence, buying and selling arems to each other, allowing personnel to have temporary trainging or lodging facilities, etc. To be sure, Al-Queada was not buddies with Saddam who until his ouster was fairly irreligious (he got religion now though!). But since they both viewed the US as an enemy, that made them more likely to cooperate on anti-US goals even if on a lower level.

Re: A good speech by Bush
 

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This is hilarious considering Bush himself has reinvented the history of how the war started several times. (9/11 connection, Al-Queda connection, WMDs, Saddam is a bad guy,etc.)

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9/11 connection - ok you win.

Al-Queda connection- check the week's news for bombing in Jordan by Iraqi Al-Queda operatives.

WMDs- ok we didn't find them. But even a marginal likelihood that Iraq did have them coupled with a demonstrated willingness in the past to use them on their own people made it necessary to eliminate any such possibility.

Saddam is(n't) a bad guy - get a grip.

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Al-Queda is operating in Iraq now. Al-Queda was NOT operating in Iraq before we invaded. (Also, I know Saddam is a bad guy. I was just pointing out the ever-changing rationale Bush used to invade.)

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1st of all, find one single quote from bush linking Al Qu3da to Iraq or 9/11 to Iraq. Please, find it and post it.

2nd there is much evidence of Al Queda having relations and working from Iraq pre- 9/11. Why would they ignor Afghanistan that was there supposed base, but fight for Iraq?

Re: A good speech by Bush
 

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WMDs- ok we didn't find them. But even a marginal likelihood that Iraq did have them coupled with a demonstrated willingness in the past to use them on their own people made it necessary to eliminate any such possibility.

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That doesn't seem to count for anything. If we'd not gone into Iraq and WMD's, proven to have come from Iraq, were later used, all we'd be hearing now is, "Why didn't we do something before 10,000 innocents were killed!" Impeach Bush right now!

Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

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invading Iraq was hugely +EV

Re: A good speech by Bush
 

On a lower level? How much of a lower level? Are you goint to say that becase some guy who sat next to an Al Qaeda operative in 5th grade math class stayed in the Baghdad Hilton, that Saddam gave aid and comfort to terrorists?

Re: A good speech by Bush
 

I'm saying that a lower level is the things I mentioned above as opposed to being close allies who plan and execute operations together.

A decent oxymorong by Beer and Pizza
 

That is all.